by Beth Heller, MS RYT

The first time I experienced Shiva Nata, or the Dance of Shiva (DOS), was in 2002 when Andrey Lappa, a visiting yoga master from the Ukraine, introduced this practice to the Chicago yoga scene.  At the time I thought it was very interesting and exotic, but with Andrey leaving town there was not much opportunity to study the system so I never continued with practice.

Flash forward to 2011.   Out of the blue, our friend Neil Keleher sent a message from Taiwan where he practices and teaches DOS to ask whether Tami and I had considered sharing the Dance of Shiva with our students at Pulling Down the Moon.  Neil had studied Shiva Nata extensively with Andre in Chicago back in the day, and had continued to work with it in his personal practice these many years.  Neil was finding that this practice repeatedly helped his students move past stuck points into more positive life situations that aligned with their heart’s purpose.  In essence, Neil suggested, the Dance of Shiva was helping to “birth” his students’ intentions.  Needless to say  I was intrigued.

Symbolically this practice is spot on for fertility.  In the Hindu pantheon Shiva is one third of the Trimurti, the primary aspects of the divine represented by Brahama (the creator), Vishnu (the sustainer) and Shiva (the Destroyer).  In this tradition, Shiva governs the shedding of old patterns, structures and beliefs to make room for new life-affirming directions.  Much of the deep work we do at the Moon comes through re-evaluating the habits and beliefs our students have brought with them to the point in time in which they are experiencing crisis (infertility).  The techniques we use at Pulling Down the Moon – yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine, therapeutic massage and nutrition – work to make us aware of patterns of harmony and disharmony in our lives; to consciously choose what we want to keep and what we want to discard.  On a visual level the symbolic connection of Shiva to fertility is even more obvious.  Shiva is often represented as a lingham and his partner Shakti is represented as a yoni.  They are often depicted together as a divine representation of procreative energy.

So what is the Dance of Shiva?  Basically it is a set of movement patterns that you learn that becomes a form of moving meditation.  It looks like the love-child of yoga and martial arts and DOS practitioners claim that the practice stimulates insight, creates a sense of mental calm and helps the practitioner enter a state of flow where she is present in each moment as it arises.  Epiphanies that arise from practice break down outmoded structures and lead the way to change, calm and flow help us move in life-affirming directions.

I asked Neil how he felt the DOS could help with fertility and here is his response:

“If a woman is struggling with conscious or unconscious negative thought patterns about her fertility,” says Neil, “Doing the Dance of Shiva may help her become more aware of these thought patterns and move beyond them. ”  This is because the practitioners of DOS believe the initial memorization and practice of the movements creates new neural pathways.

Furthermore, the Dance of Shiva is very grounding and returns a woman to her body.  The practice may also have a profound physical benefit as well.

“The concentration required to do the DOS requires you to focus on feeling your body and this focus forces you to be truly present and in your body,” Neil continues.  ”Another benefit for fertility is that the DOS helps you practice knowing what you want to do (intention) and helps you arrange things so you can do it.”

Over the past few weeks I have begun a DOS practice in earnest and, surprisingly, have found these spiraling movements to be meditative and interesting.  I have even experienced a few powerful epiphanies.  Placebo effect?  Perhaps.  But I think not.  The DOS is mathematical, which I am NOT, so I find that my brain is both challenged and energized by new neural connections.  The movements haunt me during the day and I find myself imagining and visualizing these spirals as I wait in line at the grocery store or drive my car.  In my experience this means this practice is penetrating on an energetic level and having an effect on my physical and energetic body.

Regarding fertility, my hunch is that this IS a very powerful practice for helping us reach our goal of creating family so stay tuned over the coming weeks for more updates, video and further commentary.

If you need more now, visit Neil’s website and blog at http://thedanceofshiva.com.

Beth Heller, MS, RYT

According to yoga physiology, apana vayu is the downward flow of energy that governs the menses as well as elimination of toxins from the body.  In the yogic view of PCOS, the apana vayu has become stagnant and by stimulating apana we re-invigorate the menstrual cycle.  Poses that stretch and open the hips and lower back facilitate the flow of apana.   Strengthening apana energy flow is just one goal of our therapeutic yoga practice for PCOS.  A well-rounded practice for PCOS also includes twisting and folding poses to stimulate agni, back-bending poses to enliven the nervous system, restorative poses that induce the relaxation response and gentle inversions that stimulate the thyroid, hypothalamus and pituitary glands.

This series of poses to strengthen apana begins with a vinyasa of chair (utkatasana) and standing forward fold (uttanasana) for a simple flow that is both energizing and grounding.  Follow this sequence with warrior 2, to continue to build strength and open groin and hip muscles.  Finish with Supine Cobbler’s Pose, a gentle supported back-bend that stimulates the relaxation response.

Utkatasana

Uttanasana "Forward Fold"

Virabhadrasana 2 "Warrior Pose"

Supta Baddha Konasana - Supported Reclining Cobbler's Pose

Spring is a powerful symbol of fertility, rebirth and renewal.  In our upcoming book The Infertility Cleanse, we spend a fair amount of time writing about the role of symbols in health and healing.  Warning:  this is one of those places where what we do at Pulling Down the Moon moves into the more mystical realm.  As you read the rest of this blog I will ask that you put your skeptical mind temporarily on “pause.”

To understand how symbols can help us to heal and to thrive, let’s understand a few basic concepts.

1. Symbols are images that describe a thought or belief.  Symbols can be personal (something in your life that means something specific to you) or they can also be societal or universal.  Symbols tend to gain power when the “resonate” for more than one person, i.e.  when they evoke the same thought or belief in more than one person.  However, your own personal symbols can be very powerful as well because they have meaning that is uniquely understood by you and can be very specific.

2.  If we look closely at symbols we will often find that it’s difficult to describe them in words.  The experience of trying to put a symbol into words is similar to trying to describe a vivid dream soon after waking.  Words cannot truly capture the power of the dream images and often the act of putting a dream into words drains the “power” one initially felt in dreaming.

3.  Finally, symbols act most powerfully by conveying a feeling state.   For example, to non-car aficionados, the Porsche logo says “power” or “money.”  But witness the power of Porsche for car lovers who have invested the Porsche symbol with a lot of energy.  For these folks the mere thought of owning or driving a Porsche can evoke a visceral feeling of speed or mastery.  Remember the hormone-happy  Tom Cruise character in Risky Business (Porsche – there is no substitute)?

Amazingly, brain science is beginning to shed some light on why symbols can evoke visceral reactions.   Apparently, the different hemispheres of our brain process sensory input differently.  Our left hemisphere is oriented toward linear reasoning and serves to organize sensory input in order, choosing details and constructing a reality that is based on a perceived “past” and projected into an imagined “future.”  The left brain thinks in words and numbers.  The right hemisphere of the brain thinks in pictures and is engaged primarily in the present moment.  It experiences, but doesn’t organize, sensory input.  Time does not exist for the right brain.   Nor does separation of Self from Other (for a striking depiction of right/left brain hemisphere function watch this video of neuro-scientist Jill Bolte Taylor).

This piece of neuro-science is very interesting from the yoga perspective.  In yoga, our aim is to create a state of whole-ness (yoga means union) that is experienced by our witnessing consciousness (we call this Awareness). We start with yoga postures that integrate the different parts of the physical body through balance, strength and stretching.  Yoga breath work (pranayama) brings awareness to our breathing and creates shifts in our state-of-mind.  Finally, meditation trains the mind to let go of the “chatter” that is primarily generated by the detail- and time-obsessed left brain and gives equal attention to the whole-ness of sensory input generated by the right brain.   Meditation does not aim to annihilate the left brain or glorify the right brain – it creates whole-ness and transcendence by unifying input from both brain hemispheres and allowing it to reside in a welcoming awareness.

While this is all well-and-good from a sit around and talk philosophy kind of way, what’s it got to do with symbols, healing and fertility?

Good question.  Fundamentally, we live in a left-hemisphere-driven  world that feel like the only “real” world.  We have lost the ability to connect with the right brain and the “Now-ness” it imparts to us.   However, the Now is enormously important.  Everything that ever happens happens in the Now.  New thoughts and new solutions arise in the Now, positive change happens in the Now, and healing, too, must also arise in the Now.  If we’re obsessed with negative thoughts and beliefs, the Now is a bummer.  If we’re open to positive thoughts and input the Now can be quite lovely.

Meditating on a symbol is like striking a tuning fork for the “Now” our right brain is experiencing.  Since the right brain thinks in pictures and symbols, a symbol can create a shift in the quality of the right brain awareness.   A positive or inspiring symbol can create  a positive and inspiring Now.  Take for example a simple meditation on Spring.  Spring is a powerful symbol of fertility and renewal.  The feeling you get when you “experience” Spring is visceral.  There’s a churning aliveness that feels as if it’s even making our hair grow!  We can use meditation on the symbol of Spring to bring these qualities into the “Now” of our lives.   If you don’t believe me, try the following simple meditation.

• Sit quietly, with a straight spine on the floor or in a chair.  Close your eyes and tune into your breath, simply feeling the inhales and exhales as pure sensation.
• When you begin to feel still, call to mind an image that symbolizes Spring - this could be a tulip, a leaf-bud or any image that calls to your heart and mind the energy of Spring
• As you hold the image/symbol in your mind’s eye allow the feeling of Spring to arise – the newness, the sense that winter is over, the sense of fertility and expectation, the smell of damp earth and green things growing.
• Rest in that feeling state for as long as you can – working up to 15 minutes.
• Upon coming back from your meditation, bring the feeling state of Spring back with you and practice holding this energized state as you move through your day.

This last part of the meditation is the most important.  Symbols can help us stay attuned to this happy (higher) vibration.  I use symbols in this way every day.  In my home I have a simple altar (actually it’s a shelf) where I place symbols that have a powerful personal meaning for me.  Whenever I am quietly going about my business at home, I light the candle and welcome the vibration of the inspiring symbols to permeate my “Now.”  Throughout my day I will often visualize lighting that candle and accessing these symbols in times of stress or need.

Cathleen McCauley L.M.T.

By Cathleen McCauley LMT

Imagine for a moment that you feel completely healed. What does that feel like to you? Maybe you feel well, your reproductive system or other body parts functioning healthily. You may feel spiritually whole, filled with understanding and purpose. Or perhaps for you, feeling healed equates to emotional balance and ease.

As you focus your awareness on your personal healing, know in your heart that it is possible. During growth or crisis phases in life, healing takes courage and dedication as you sift through your feelings and sit with them. Oftentimes it requires outside assistance, a trusted companion to help you dig deep into the parts of you that need some attention.  Above all, it calls for gentleness with self and spirit.

Turning to the chakra system to help you find your way through your experiences can be a great first step. Let’s look at how the first and second chakras, known as the lower chakras, can bring healing awareness.

The Root Chakra

The first chakra, known as the Root Chakra or Muladhara in Sanskrit, spins from the base of the spine. It relates to procreation and Mother Earth as well as to birth, receiving unconditional love from your parents and the beginning of your life. Oftentimes it is described as the place where physical energy, instinct and vitality are born.  From the Root Chakra, your kundalini, or pure desire, rises.

Meditation on the first chakra can help you feel safe, secure, grounded and stable as you navigate the fertility journey. When you are rooted, you feel fully alive, joyful, curious and able to trust. This chakra teaches that all is one.

Working with this chakra allows you access to greater self-nourishment should you have healing to do from early childhood. When you spend time nurturing and supporting your inner child, your first chakra blooms.  Healing on this level also plants the seeds for the future. What you do now to heal yourself opens the way for your children to have fulfilling early experiences when they come into the world.

Being disconnected from Root Chakra energy can manifest as high levels of fear or stress, addictions, depression, obsessive disorders or an extreme need for control. Physically, this chakra relates to the spine, kidneys, adrenal glands, immune system, skeletal system and reproductive organs. Cold hands and feet, frequent urination, high-blood pressure, low back pain, difficulties in the feet, legs or hips, low sex drive, and infertility or impotence are common ailments associated with an unbalanced first chakra.

The Sacral Chakra

As the energy of the first chakra opens, it moves up to the lower abdomen two fingers below the navel to closely relate to Swadhisthana or the Sacral Chakra. The center for emotion, desire and passion, the second chakra brings creativity, empowerment, sincerity and sexual energy into your life. Its symbol is a crescent moon, representing femininity and the womb.

As you open awareness to Sacral Chakra energy, you begin to explore your true feminine nature. You embrace your compassionate and nurturing qualities; you trust your intuition. Creativity blossoms and your emotions feel in balance. Relationships, both casual and intimate, are satisfying. You experience and enjoy sensual sexual experiences. Your female reproductive organs function healthfully.

As a child, if you were unable to express your feelings, emotions or desires, your second chakra may need attention. Some characteristics of an unbalanced second chakra include fear of pleasure, being out of touch with your feelings, resistance to change, acting overly emotional or dramatic, sexual addiction or poor boundaries.

In her book Anatomy of the Spirit, The Seven Stages of Power and Healing (Three Rivers Press, 1996) author and medical intuitive Carolyn Myss, Ph.D., explains that many female health problems stem from second chakra issues. “Problems with menstruation, cramps and PMS are classic indications that she is in some kind of conflict with being a woman…,” writes Myss.  Problems with bleeding or irregular periods frequently occur due to emotional stress and the feeling that a woman doesn’t have control over her choices, she says.

Further, Myss’ writes that tubal problems and infertility are centered on a woman’s inner child. The flow of eggs, she writes, can be blocked because the woman’s inner being does not feel nurtured or mature enough to feel fertile.

The Journey

Opening awareness to the parts of you that may need healing attention can be difficult. Take small steps. Remember to treat yourself with gentle care and nurturing commitment. Honor yourself for where you are right now on your journey, and be well in knowing you are whole.

As you ground yourself and connect with your feminine energy, I encourage you to contact me for more information or to make an appointment for the Enhance the Blood massage session. This healing massage treatment focuses on opening circulatory pathways to bathe the reproductive organs in blood and bring regeneration and nourishment to your whole body.

I look forward to assisting you as you connect with the sacredness of your body. You may contact me at Cathleen@pullingdownthemoon.com.

By Beth Heller, M.S.

Spring is coming and this time of year our minds turn inevitably to swimsuits, sleeveless sundresses and bare skin – when we’re not thinking about babies, that is.  Body conscious times like this can create additional stress for those of us who are trying to conceive.   Many of us have given up exercise during our fertility journey,  the fertility medications and emotional ups and downs that accompany treatment may have helped us gain a few pounds and our body image may be less-than-fabulous.  The good news is that a fit, toned body is not out of the question when we’re trying to conceive.  We just need to be smart about it.

At Pulling Down the Moon we use a sort of decision tree to help women find an exercise regimen that’s right for them:

1.  How close are you to your ideal bodyweight?

Body weight can play a major role in our fertility.   According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine about 12% of infertility is related to weight – 6% of cases due to underweight, where a woman’s body is too lean for proper hormone function, and 6% due to overweight, where excesses of estrogen-producing adipose tissue (fat) disrupts hormonal balance.  For women who are close to their optimal weight, an exercise program should serve to reduce stress, develop/maintain strength and keep the heart healthy.  Women who need to lose weight should set goals to increase daily activity levels significantly through a program of low impact cardiovascular exercise, strength training and stress reduction activities such as yoga.   If you’re not sure about your ideal weight, a consultation with one of our nutritionists is a great place to start.

2.  What role has exercise played in your life up to this point?

Some women have a less-than-healthy relationship with physical exercise.  Some may hate it and struggle to fit it in to their day.  Chronic under-exercise can make it hard to maintain a healthy body weight or may contribute to sluggishness and depression.  On the flip side, there are those of us who train hard every day, use exercise to maintain an “ideal” body weight or feel anxious when exercise is limited.  Chronic over-exercise can raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol as well as negatively affect the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (the hormonal system that governs reproductive function).  Your relationship with exercise will dictate whether you need to slow down or speed up.

Once we know the answers to the questions above, we can begin to make recommendations.   In general, a fertility-friendly exercise program should include cardiovascular exercise that is low-impact and low to medium intensity, which means keeping our heart rate under 60% of max.  Exercise modalities like strength-training are  also fabulous when you’re trying to conceive.  Strength training increases lean muscle mass and helps us keep our bodies strong and shapely (although we need to be careful here – a body fat percentage of at least 22% is generally accepted as necessary for a regular menstrual cycle).  In addition to looking good, lean mass means increases metabolism and builds stronger bones.  Yoga is another must-try for those who are trying to conceive.  The yoga asanas increase strength, improve our flexibility and help to balance our hormones.  Yoga has been proven to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and in yoga physiology its believed that specific yoga postures can be used to increase the flow of blood and life energy (prana) to reproductive organs.

So get out and exercise this spring, but exercise wisely.  For some of us, this will mean increasing our exercise levels, and for others it will mean slowing down – and some of us will find that what we’re doing is just right.  Remember, this is not the time to try and get ripped, drop your body fat percentage to “Hollywood” standards or train for a marathon.  A fertility-friendly exercise program will leave you feeling nourished and relaxed.

By Beth Heller, MS RYT

It has been one of those amazing weeks where emails from past yoga students have filled my inbox.   As I read the comments of women who have taken class with me or with another of our teachers or used treatments like nutrition, fertility massage and acupuncture at Pulling Down the Moon I realize how blessed I am that this is my life’s work.

Moreover, I am drawn back to the beauty of yoga and my faith in its applicability to the fertility journey.

In a week where headlines have trumpeted the results of a meta-analysis that shows that a woman’s stress levels do not impact her odds of IVF success (you can read an assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of this study here), I am reminded that yoga is far more than a stress-reduction technique.  From the strength and flexibility benefits gained from practicing poses, to the clarity and calm cultivated with breathing and meditation, yoga works on many different levels of being.  It invites us to step into the flow, to welcome ourselves not as we think we should be but as we really are and to embrace what we find.  Yoga engages us in the process – not just of conception – but of becoming whole.

I wanted to share some of what our students have shared because their words convey the gifts of yoga better than anything I can write.

“Because of my time at PDtM, meeting with and sharing such personal feelings with other participants, I have a kinder view of the world.  There are so many good, deserving ppl out there.  On one hand, it makes me hurt for women/couples like us when I see stories regarding children in need and think how unfair it is, but it also gives me a warm feeling to know that whatever souls end up in our care will be so loved and cherished.  The strength of ppl in our shoes continues to amaze me…Because of it I have more self-confidence and am more sure of myself in my own skin.  I know what I want and will do whatever it takes to get it.  While I realize the struggle to become parents can put a chink in the armor of marriage, I also know, first hand, that is can make a marriage stronger.”

“Everyone’s fertility journey is long, but I shall make this brief. After a miscarriage, my husband and I struggled to conceive our second child. I picked up your brochure at FCI.  I started coming to Moon in Chicago at the same time we started our relationship with FCI. When we were forced to take a month off after a failed artificial insemination, we conceived spontaneously…I truly believe that the acupuncture, your yoga dvd (my schedule didn’t allow me to come for the class), the meditation, the holistic vitamins…everything…helped us conceive our lil’ boy.  I think, most importantly, I felt empowered by these new practices and lifestyle changes. Western technology is amazing, but it puts the power in drugs, in ultrasounds. Moon provides a healing, grounded environment to come, breathe and gain strength in your body, in your spirit and in your mind.”

“I came to the doorstep of Pulling Down the Moon’s Yoga for Fertility Class in a very dark place. After two IVF cycles that both ended in miscarriage I needed to find a space in my life where I could not only  link up with supportive women who had similar experiences to mine but  a space where I could learn a Yoga and meditative practice to help my  body and mind heal. This is exactly what I found! This class gave me  the support and the tools I needed through Yoga with a community of  women to move onto to the next thing in my fertility journey. Our  teacher Rebecca was outstanding. I would highly recommend this class  to anyone no matter what part of the fertility journey you are on.”

I hope you will join me for our upcoming Yoga for Fertility sessions beginning Sunday, March 6 from 9:30 to 11 a.m.  The class runs for six weeks (no class on April 10) unti April 17.  Click here to register, or send me an email with your any questions to beth@pullingdownthemoon.com.

We hope you will take the time to read this wonderful article by Jenny Rough from Bethesda Magazine.   In the article Jenny shares her personal journey, interviews Reproductive Endocrinologists and speaks to women who used techniques like yoga, nutrition and Traditional Chinese Medicine to support their fertility journey.

We’re also excited to share that Jenny will be offering a FREE writing workshop at Pulling Down the Moon in Rockville on Saturday March 26 from 1 to 4 p.m.  Read more about this event here.

by Beth Heller, M.S.

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL) is one of the most frustrating fertility challenges a woman can experience.   One loss is devastating enough but the cycle of  expectation and disappointment that accompanies RPL can create feelings of despair.  But from both a medical and a holistic perspective, though, couples who experience RPL have plenty of reason to be hopeful.

“In practice we will initiate a work-up for RPL after two losses in a row,” says Reproductive Endocrinologist Dr. Christopher Sipe of Fertility Centers of Illinois.   A medical work-up is important since common conditions such as hyper/hypothyroid, PCOS, luteal phase defect , infection and diabetes can cause RPL.  Once there is a better understanding of the causes of miscarriage, steps can be taken to choose a treatment plan that will optimize the chance of a healthy pregnancy.

There are also holistic strategies for addressing potential root causes of miscarriage.

1.   Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine

From the Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective much of miscarriage prevention occurs in the months leading up to pregnancy. Regular fertility acupuncture treatment prior to conception can help to manage stress, potentially regulate the menstrual cycle and improve the uterine environment  by increasing blood flow – key elements promoting a healthy uterine environment and pregnancy.   In cases of  threatened abortion, several studies show that treatment with TCM herbs has been shown to be beneficial and may relate to an impact on endocrine hormones and abnormal maternal-fetal immune interaction.  While herbs are NOT appropriate during a medicated fertility cycle,  woman who are not using ART may wish to explore acupuncture and herbal therapy.  However, if you choose to consider this route, we recommend that you check with your OB before beginning any herbal regimen and ALWAYS work with a licensed TCM practitioner who specializes in fertility and pregnancy.

2.  Nutritional Support

Studies have linked conditions like hyper/hypothyroid, obesity, PCOS and oxidative stress to early pregnancy loss and each of these conditions has a nutrition connection.  Assuring that a woman’s diet is rich in antioxidant nutrients like Vitamin A, C, E and selenium can reduce oxidative stress.   In some cases, food allergy or intolerance may be causing gastro-intestinal inflammation which in turn may negatively impact the uterine environment or impair the absorption of nutrients that are vital to reproductive function, as in the case of celiac disease.  RPL is also more prevalent in women with  diabetes and PCOS. Working with a nutritionist to learn how to eat an anti-inflammatory diet that is rich in antioxidant nutrients, and supports good blood sugar regulation and  GI function not only supports overall fertility but may address root causes of pregnancy loss.

3.  Stress Reduction

Giving yourself time to grieve, finding community and surrounding yourself with positive people can make a huge difference for a woman who has experienced RPL and is “trying again.”  Researchers hypothesize a link between stress and poor pregnancy outcomes , so techniques like support groups, yoga and meditation not only help you feel better but may help you stay pregnant.

If you would like more information about holistic support for miscarriage or would like to meet with a Pulling Down the Moon Patient Advocate to discuss your particular experience, please call us at 312-321-0004 (Chicago-Area) or 301-610-7755 (DC Metro) or email us at info@pullingdownthemoon.com.